We’ve got the dirt on how to compost 🌱

The beginner’s guide to composting in Asheville

A local compost pit. | Photo by @pink_magpie

Ready to begin composting? We’ve got the dirt on how to get started, plus the best compost bin for your needs.

What is composting?

Composting is the process of decomposing organic matter — like leaves, food scraps, and yard trimmings. You reap what you sow: The result is a dark, nutrient-heavy material, like soil, that you can use to enrich your lawn or garden.

How do you get started?

Find a dry and shady spot in your backyard to build your compost pile. Be patient — composting can take several months.

If you don’t want a pile of decomposing waste in your backyard, try a compost bin. Here’s some options we’ve bin eyeing:

For beginners | Try it out before you commit. This bin is easy to clean and is perfect for collecting scraps on your counter.
For style icons | Composting, but make it cute. Just don’t mistake this odor-free bin for your cookie jar.
For the serious gardener | This 43-gallon container rotates — no more mixing compost by hand — and has two chambers so you can add fresh waste while the older batch finishes up.
For the landscaper | If you plan to compost mostly yard waste, this open-top bin is a good alternative to a pile.

Pro-tip: Asheville GreenWorks offers troubleshooting tips if your compost isn’t cooperating.

Can you compost without a backyard?

If you’re an apartment-dweller or simply don’t have the backyard space, you might want to give worm composting a try. Simply purchase a special bin and some worms, and let your new squirmy pets feast on your scraps.

The City of Asheville also offers a free Food Scrap Drop-Off program. Register online and find your nearest drop off location.

WHAT CAN'T YOU COMPOST?

Click here to have your event featured.

Tuesday, March 7

Free Sewing Repair for All | Tuesday, Mar. 7 | 5-8 p.m. | Leicester Library, 1561 Alexander Rd., Leicester | Free | Bring your damaged fabric items like clothing, purses, and cushions to this event where skilled volunteers provide free hands-on instruction in the art of repair.
Kitchen Sink Activism | Tuesday, Mar. 7 | 7-8:30 p.m. | Virtual | Free | Explore the role food plays in movements for social change with editor Wren Awry and author Alex Ketchum.

Wednesday, March 8

TreeRock Social Cider Last Hurrah | Wednesday, Mar. 8 | 6-8 p.m. | TreeRock Social Cider & Mead Bar, 760 Biltmore Ave., Asheville | $40 | Join for TreeRock’s final hurrah before it closes — there will be cider and mead paired with six local cheeses.
Ladies First - An Evening of Bourbon and BBQ presented by Maker’s Mark | Wednesday, Mar. 8 | 6:45-8:30 p.m. | Bear’s Smokehouse, 135 Coxe Ave., Asheville | $15 | This guided bourbon tasting and cocktail-making presentation to celebrate International Women’s Day includes small bites and gift bags for ticket holders.

Thursday, March 9

Bird-Friendly Community Practices and Climate Resilience | Thursday, Mar. 9 | 1-5 p.m. | The Collider, 1 Haywood St., Asheville | Free | Learn about bird-friendly community practices that benefit both migratory birds and their human communities.
Family Outdoor Night: Disc Golf 101 | Thursday, Mar. 9 | 5:30-6:30 p.m. | Jake Rusher Park, 132 Peachtree St., Arden | $2 | Learn the basics of disc golf and then try your hand at this fun, low-impact outdoor sport.
Cold Brews & Candles | Thursday, Mar. 9 | 5:30-7 p.m. | 12 Bones Brewing, 2350 Hendersonville Rd., Arden | $25-$60 | Create your own candle + chow down on 12 Bones barbecue.

Friday, March 10

ASAP’s CSA Fair | Friday, Mar. 10 | 3:30-6:30 p.m. | YWCA of Asheville, 185 S. French Broad Ave., Asheville | Free | Meet local farmers, sample food, and sign up for a Community Supported Agriculture share.
Fireside Friday | Friday, Mar. 10 | 5:30-9 p.m. | Wrong Way River Lodge & Cabins, 9 Midnight Dr., Asheville | Free | Enjoy a campfire, s’mores, and variety of beverages — and bring your own instrument for an open jam session.
ArtsAVL Town Hall Meet & Greet | Friday, Mar. 10 | 3 p.m. | Center for Craft, 67 Broadway St., Asheville | Free | Get to know local elected officials and learn more about current arts policy initiatives.
An Extraordinary Tasting Adventure | Friday, March 10-Saturday, April 29 | Times vary | VICARIO Tasting Room Micro-Distillery and Farm, 840 Old Jones Rd., Greer | Experience a garden to glass tasting of Vicario’s award-winning liqueurs and gin on Fridays and Saturdays.*

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

MARCH ON

Want to win a free month of fitness?

Women with dumbell weights in their hands during a group workout class.

A Y membership gives Ashevillians access to seven YMCA locations in AVL (and surrounding areas), plus more than 2,000 participating Ys nationwide. | Photo provided by the YMCA of Western North Carolina

Did you know the YMCA is more than just a gym? Members get access to:

Wellness coaching
Drop-in childcare
Unlimited group fitness classes
State-of-the-art exercise equipment
Pools, basketball + pickleball courts
Discounts on personal training, swim lessons, and other programs

Bonus: Achieving your health goals doesn’t need to cost much. Thanks to generous community donors, the Y can offer income-based membership rates.

Ready to try the Y? Learn about the benefits of Y membership — and enter to win a free month of membership. *

TRY THE Y (AND YOUR LUCK)

Weather

62º | Partly cloudy | 10% chance of rain

Outdoors

Grab your fishing pole, because the NC Wildlife Resources Commission is opening hatchery supported trout waters on Saturday, April 1. You’ll have about 1,000 miles of water to explore, so read up on the stocking schedule and get a refresher on the rules. 🎣 (Mountain Xpress)

Eat

Top Chef Ashleigh Shanti has released a kitchen pepper spice blend based on her mother’s recipes. Kitchen Pepper blends sweet and savory notes of pepper and sumac. Bonus: The jar is designed after Ashleigh’s grandmother’s quilts. (Citizen Times)
Brunch pop-up phenom and chef Terri Terrell will lead a Women’s History Month Wine Dinner on Wednesday, March 29 at Asheville Beauty Academy. Celebrate the women wine-makers and chefs of the Mississippi Delta with a five-course meal and wine pairings. Tickets are $95. 🍷

Traffic

Downtown commuters should avoid the corner of Hilliard Avenue and S. French Broad Avenue for the next few weeks. Hilliard’s right turn lane and six parking spaces on S. French Broad will be closed for reconstruction through Friday, March 17. 🚧 (Mountain Xpress)

Try This

It’s time to swap and shop at the AVL Clothing Swap on Saturday, March 25 from 1 to 4 p.m. Bring adult clothing and shoes to Hi-Wire Brewing in the River Arts District, and shop to benefit reproductive justice in Asheville. 🛍️

Read

Ever wanted to bike over 4,000 miles across 10 states? Ashevillian Wayne Aho did just that, and now you can read about the experience in his book, “Journey of Discovery.” This narrative chronicles his 62 days on the TransAmerica trail as well as personal discoveries he made along the way. 🚲 (Mountain Xpress)

Wellness

Our go-to product to relieve tension and decrease under eye puffiness: an ice roller. Not to mention, it’s the perfect way to cool off your face after an intense workout or morning run. These ice globes are also a great skincare addition to help soothe and depuff. *

Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.

Chow Chow returns with a fresh face 🌽

Chow Chow 2023 announces new dates, format, and leadership

Smoky Park Supper Club makes our mouths water with watermelon. | Photo by Stephan Pruitt Photography

Chow Chow Food + Culture Festival is back for its fourth year and has just announced the 2023 dates.

This year’s Chow Chow is slated for September 7–10, reverting from the three-month structure it used in 2021 and 2022 back to its original weekend format. Tickets for the tasting events, chef dinners, and workshops will go on sale in April. (Low- and no-cost programming will also be available.)

The fest was founded in 2019 by iconic Ashevillians like James Beard Award-winning chefs Katie Button of Cúrate, Chai Pani founder Meherwan Irani, and Rhubarb’s John Fleer. Their goal? Celebrate and support our local food community. This year, Chow Chow also welcomes Melissa Scheiderer as its new executive director.

We don’t know all the culinary delights in store just yet, but look forward to workshops, dinners, tastings, and performances all across Asheville.

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Jessalin.

Editor’s pick: Nice to meet you, Asheville. 👋 My name is Jessalin, and I work for AVLtoday’s parent company, 6AM City. I support newsletters across the country in cities like Raleigh, NC (RALtoday) and Greenville, SC (GVLtoday). You may see me pop by occasionally to help out Laura and Brook. Consider me your kindly neighbor who always has an extra cup of sugar to lend.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Lettuce take you on a tour of six farmers markets in the Asheville area.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Laura Hackett, Brook Bolen, Erin McPherson, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Helen Purnell | Advertise with us.

Content marked with an * was created in partnership with 6AM City’s advertising partners. Paid content helps keep this newsletter free. 6AM City may also receive a commission on purchases made through affiliate links in this newsletter.

ADVERTISE | SHOP | CAREERS | ETHICS

Did a friend forward this free newsletter to you?

Content marked with an * is paid advertising. Content marked with an ^ is created by our content studio. The company may also generate commission from affiliate links in the newsletter.

Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.

P.O. Box 2505, Greenville, SC 29602

ADVERTISE | CAREERS | ETHICS | PRIVACY | THE BUY